How to Paint Interior Walls in 7 Easy Steps

Well-lit living room with neutral decor.

When you are ready for a repaint, our tips for painting walls can help you transform your entire space.

Are you ready to learn how to paint walls ? With the right tools and the right paint, you’ll go from painting for beginners to proud DIY-er in no time. The best paints for interior walls will cover properly prepared surfaces in fewer coats, but beware of bargain paints claiming good coverage at too-good-to-be-true prices. Benjamin Moore premium products are powered by patented Gennex^® Color Technology, ensuring you’ll enjoy gorgeous paint colors and unsurpassed durability every time.

This video will teach you proper painting technique, the types of paint rollers to use, how to load paint on a roller and everything you need to know in order to properly paint a room.

The Best Way to Paint Walls

When it comes to home interiors, there really is no way “fast and easy” way to paint walls. Two ways to ensure your painting project is a success: properly prepare the surface and take your time. Remember to read all labels and follow all instructions carefully.

Painting walls does not need to be difficult. Our How To Paint Walls video not only shows you how to paint a room, but gives you the interior painting tips that will help you achieve excellent results.

Step 1: Select the Right Tools to Paint Walls.

Step #1: Select the Right Tools for Painting Walls

The right tools are important. Here's what you'll need:

High-quality roller sleeve and handle; use...

a 3/8-inch sleeve for most finishes
a 1/4-inch sleeve for glossy finishes
a thicker, 1/2- or 3/4-inch sleeve for rougher, textured walls
Wash and dry roller sleeves to remove any loose fibers prior to painting

Cont. Step #1: Selecting the Right Tools for Painting Walls

Other painting tools you'll need include a pan, an extension pole and a stepladder.

You’ll also need quality paint, like premium Aura^® Interior, Regal^® Select Interior, a favorite of homeowners and painting professionals, or ben^® Interior, a paint formulated specifically to help DIY-ers with quick-fix drips and smooth touch-ups.

Step 2: Clean and Prepare Walls for Painting.

Step #2: Prepare the Wall Surface

Preparing the walls of the room is always critical to a successful paint job, starting with cleaning. Most walls can be washed using a sponge and warm water. If there is mildew, be sure to remove it completely. Priming is also essential; be sure to ask your local Benjamin Moore retailer for a deep base primer if painting a darker hue.

Step #3: Cut in the Room

When you paint a room, you have to "cut in” with a 2½-inch angle sash brush. Cutting in with a paint brush is when you paint along the ceiling line, corners, windows, doors, molding, outlets and switches prior to using a roller.

See our How to Cut Into a Room When Painting video to learn more about cutting into a room.

Step 4: Roll Paint Roller in Paint Tray.

Step #4: Load Your Roller

Place a liner in your paint tray, and carefully pour paint into the tray. Begin loading your roller by rolling it along the raised roll-off area of the pan. Touch the paint, but do so without completely immersing the sleeve. Repeat this motion until the roller is fully saturated.

Step #5: Start Rolling

Start each section rolling from the top down first, overlapping each row about 3-5 inches. Apply only light pressure, letting the roller and the paint do the work. If you press too hard, you may create drips and runs.

Step 6: Add More Paint to Roller to Continue Painting Wall.

Step #6: Reload and Avoid Streaks

Every time you reload the roller, begin a new row on an unpainted area and work back into the previously painted row. Your extension pole should be long enough to allow you to reach the highest and lowest points of the wall comfortably.

Painting walls without streaks is one important technique to master; start by steering clear of painting too large a space at one time. Painting manageable-sized areas will help you maintain a “wet edge”—the application of paint toward the unpainted area and then back into the just-painted surface—which will ultimately produce a smooth, uniform appearance and help to prevent lap marks.

Step #7: Let Dry, Recoat, and Let Dry Again

We recommend at least two coats of your topcoat product for optimal hide and color development. Check the paint can for the recommended drying times and wait until the paint is completely dry before you add the second coat. Be sure to allow proper cure time before returning fixtures, wall plates or frames to the walls.

Have More Questions? Visit your local Benjamin Moore store or contact Customer Support.